Typical windy spring time conditions are here on the Mendocino Coast. High pressure systems make for sunny warm days but also tighten the pressure gradient and kick up winds off-shore. Predictions of gale force conditions have been hit or miss, and this Sunday looked like another miss. On Saturday morning, Sunday’s swell prediction of 2 feet had us giddy about the possibility of some serious sea cave exploration. As the winds kicked up on Saturday, we knew that our paddle the next day wasn’t going to be a lily-dip sea cave exploration.

We started our Second Sunday Paddle with a little warm up in the bay and admired a handsome horned grebe (which isn’t common on the Mendocino Coast this time of the year).

As we went to exit the protected bay, seas steepened and the wind conspired to blow us off course as we tried to thread the needle through the rocky reefs guarding another protected bay. Back into the Gulch we went. To the delight of everyone, Sunday’s exploration became a rock garden play session.

Heather knocked the rust off and showed good form and lots of smiles.

Dick tested his combat rolling skills.

I got a nice saltwater facial.

Of course, Jeff styled it in his Valley Avocet who after 10 months now has a name – “The Red Scorpion”